Description
Ina Garten’s vegetable pot pie brings rustic comfort from her Barefoot Contessa kitchen, blending seasonal vegetables with a buttery, flaky crust that melts in your palate. Hearty and elegant, this dish offers a warm embrace of homemade goodness you’ll crave on chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables:
- 2 cups sliced yellow onions (2 onions)
- 1 fennel bulb, top and core removed, thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 ½ cups large-diced potatoes (½ pound)
- 1 ½ cups asparagus tips
- 1 ½ cups peeled, ¾-inch-diced carrots (4 carrots)
- 1 ½ cups peeled, ¾-inch-diced butternut squash
- 1 ½ cups frozen small whole onions (½ pound)
- ½ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
Fats and Liquids:
- 12 tablespoons (170 grams) unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks)
- 2 ½ cups good chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Pernod
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- ¼ pound cold unsalted butter, diced
Dry Ingredients and Seasonings:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch saffron threads
- ½ to ⅔ cup ice water
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
- Flaked sea salt and cracked black
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Gently sauté onions and fennel for 10-15 minutes until translucent and softened. Sprinkle flour into the mixture, reduce heat, and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring intermittently. Gradually pour in stock, Pernod, saffron, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust heavy cream seasoning to create a well-balanced sauce.
- Boil potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes, then drain through a colander. In the same boiling water, cook asparagus, carrots, and squash for 5 minutes. Thoroughly drain vegetables. Combine potatoes, mixed vegetables, onions, and chopped parsley with the prepared sauce, ensuring even distribution.
- In a food processor with a metal blade, blend flour, salt, and baking powder. Add shortening and cold butter, pulsing 10 times until fat resembles pea-sized crumbs. With the processor running, slowly stream in ice-cold water until dough just comes together. Transfer dough to a floured surface, quickly form into a ball, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest and firm up.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Evenly distribute filling among 4 individual ovenproof dishes. Roll out each dough portion into an 8-inch (20 cm) circle. Brush dish edges with egg wash, carefully place dough on top, trimming to extend 1/2-inch beyond the rim. Crimp edges to seal, creating a decorative border. Cut three small vents in the top crust, brush with additional egg wash, and sprinkle with cracked black pepper and sea salt. Bake on a sheet pan for 1 hour, or until crust turns golden brown and filling bubbles enthusiastically.
Notes
- Chop vegetables into uniform sizes for even cooking and a visually appealing presentation.
- Blind bake the pie crust for 10-15 minutes to create a crisp, golden base that resists moisture.
- Experiment with fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary to elevate the chicken pot pie’s traditional flavor profile.
- Cool the filling completely before assembling to prevent a soggy bottom and help the pie hold its shape.
- Consider using a mix of white and dark chicken meat for a more complex, rich taste that keeps each bite interesting.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 505 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg